Within 48 hours of the news of the brutally shot cougar in Calgary – and your posting, reposting and commenting on our blog and call to action – the Minister of Justice in Alberta announced he was opening an investigation into the incident.
According to CTV Calgary, Jonathan Denis, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, on Saturday ordered a review of the decision to kill the cougar late last week.
While we always welcome this kind of news, our analysis is a CYA (cover your ass) operation is underway by the Minister. It’s clear to us, the news and the Minister that Canadians will not be satisfied with the regular rhetoric about public safety in wildlife conflict. The thousands of emails and phone calls pouring into the office of the Minister – and MLAs across the province – are doing the job: putting pressure on the decision makers.
We don’t expect Minister Denis to come out and condemn his officers, nor do we expect an immediate policy change. But we’re seeing something that doesn’t often happen: back pedalling. For a Ministry as high profile as Justice and Solicitor General to start ducking for cover with these kinds of announcements, we’re clearly having an impact.
Today, we’re renewing our call for letters, phone calls and emails to be sent to the Ministry, along with your own MLA. You can find our sample letter and the appropriate contact information by clicking here. There are various online petitions available for this cause, though they do not carry legal weight in parliamentary proceedings. If you do sign a petition, please make sure you also send a personal email.
The winds are changing in Alberta, and it sure does feel good.
